Dare To Love Series: Daring Ink (Kindle Worlds Novella) (10 page)

Truthfully, though, she was the one who needed some time. She was a mess.

And although she wished she could ask the questions now and get the honest truth from him, it wouldn’t be right. It would be taking advantage. Sweet Jesus, she’d love to take advantage.

“I’d really appreciate that. Thanks, Leslie.” He gave her a grateful smile that she felt straight down to her toes.

I get to see him again! “Sure.”

There was a beat of silence, during which Ian and Madison seemed to observe the obvious chemistry between Leslie and Dean. She felt the need to fill it. “I think what you’re doing is really important. Injured and former players need to see that it’s possible to have a life beyond football when their careers end. You’ll be helping so much. They’ll know they’re not alone.” She felt as if she was rambling, and her lips remained parted as she waited for something smart to come out of her mouth. It didn’t happen.

But despite her intense attraction to Dean, she meant what she said. Her sincerity came from a place deep inside her that she didn’t tell anyone about. She had been an athlete once. Running was all she’d cared about back then. Until something happened to completely change her universe, sending her reeling and lost. That had been a dark time in her life.

Then she’d found journalism. It had been the thing that steadied her.

Dean’s clear green gaze moved down to her lips. “Thanks, Leslie. I look forward to it. It means a lot to me. For these kids, football is the be-all and end-all. They can’t past anything see the game and sex. Not necessarily in that order.”

There was the word salad he’d referred to. She glanced at Ian and Madison, both who seemed as taken with Dean Wilson as she was. They simply smiled at him, his weakness clearly endearing him to them.

Just as it was to her. His weakness made her want to hug him. And kiss him. And make him all better. She felt a dirty grin cross her lips.

He noticed, and offered her a grin dirty enough to rival hers.

She felt her breasts plump in response, her nipples peak. Heat pooled between her legs. No. No, damn it. Stop it. She straightened in her chair and placed what she hoped was a serious, thoughtful expression on her face. And she resisted the urge to squirm again. Her sensitive areas responded to Dean Wilson in ways that made her feel a little panicked. She had no control over her body around him. It was downright vexing.

Someone was speaking, and she tried to concentrate, but couldn’t pull her eyes away from his face. She found looking at his face to be distracting. It was so interesting. He looked like a boxer. Strong and tough, but with an underlying vulnerability.

Don’t look at him, she thought. Break his spell.

She forced herself to look down, and her eyes traveled over his chest, down his flat belly, and settled on his crotch. Oh, boy.

Apparently she had an effect on him, too. She looked back up at his face. He lifted his brows, slightly; his lips curving in an obscene little smirk. He was reading her body language expertly.

Frantic, Leslie scribbled another note. How now brown cow? It was all she could do. She was helpless.

“Leslie,” Ian said.

She looked up. “Yes?”

“A few of us are taking Dean out on the town tonight. Madison, Alex, Dylan. Riley will be there. She’d love it if you came with,” Ian said.

“Oh,” was all she managed to say. Her mind was swirling with thick mental fog, as if she’d taken too much cold medication. Drugged. That was it. She felt drugged.

Dean Wilson was like a drug, and he hadn’t even touched her.

Crap. She was in trouble.

“So seven o’clock. We’ll start the evening with dinner at Prime 112.” Ian’s steely blue gaze caught her like a deer in the headlights.

For the past four years, Leslie really hadn’t noticed men all that much. She was focused and driven, determined not to let a man get in the way of her goals. She’d made that mistake before, and it had derailed her life for years.

Not this time.

But he was so sexy. And he had that vulnerability thing that she’d never seen in a man before. He had an inner strength that was apparent, because he was a fighter. Despite his head injury, he was fighting his way back and creating a life for himself. He was trying to give back, and to make a difference.

Tonight might be a chance to score the best interview she’d had yet. It was her one opportunity to get a great story.

And despite the obvious effect Dean Wilson had on her, she meant to get that story.

She just had to keep her head in the game. She lifted her face and smiled brightly. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

Ian gave a single nod. “Good.”

Madison said, “Alex and I will pick you up at six thirty.”

“Great,” Leslie said.

Ian turned to Dean. “We’ll raise a glass to celebrate having you on board.”

Dean raised a finger. “No can do.”

Ian raised his brows. “You refuse to drink with me?”

“I can’t drink with you. Alcohol does something funny to my already discombobulated brain. Makes me do embarrassing things, and I speak every single thought in my head. No hope for any kind of filter.”

A light went off in Leslie’s mind. Right, no filter. So it was like a truth serum? That might make for a hell of a story.

Maybe there was hope for her yet. There was an intriguing story in Dean Wilson. If she played her cards right and got a sensational story, she might just win the position she was competing for.

She’d show that snotty prick Spencer that even though she didn’t have the connections in Miami that he did, she could beat him on her own merit.

She was a good journalist, damn it, and she’d prove it.

But since she was up against a sleazeball like Spencer Baine, she might have to fight a little dirty to get it.

You can get the rest of
Wish to Dare by Tracy Sharp
on Amazon in Carly Phillips' Dare to Love Kindle World!